Update...

The last few weeks have been super busy (since the housing rates are the lowest they have been in something like 50 years, everyone is refinancing and keeping us busy! YIPPY!!!!) Because of this, I hadn't worked out in over a week. I wasn't able to keep up with my home chores (grocery shopping, cooking, laundry, cleaning, etc) on top of working everyday, and rushing the kids around everywhere. I was in a major workout slump. How do working mother's find time to do it all?! Finally I realized that I just don't feel my best when I don't take the time to workout. It HAS to be a priority. During the week, I just need to make myself get up early and workout before the kids get up, that way I have it done and out of the way. Then if I get busy with lots of work, at least I wont be missing out on my workouts. (It's either that or stay up late. I don't know about you, but once my hubby and kids are going to bed, all I want to do is go to bed and crash too).

This time of year it is so easy to throw your healthy eating habits aside, when you are constantly bombarded with yummy food you would normally not eat or have around the house. I'm trying to limit myself, and keep everything in moderation. Luckily I haven't gained any weight, but I haven't lost any either. I felt like I was losing some muscle tone/size in my legs, with not working out last week. My current goal is to gain back my muscle tone, and continue to maintain my current weight/size through this holiday season....oh, and try to avoid over-eating during the next few weeks while visiting family and celebrating this holiday season.

I'm excited that Biggest Loser will be starting up again in Jan! Yea!!! Just the motivation I need. I love watching that show, and being inspired to push myself harder in my workouts. I was especially excited to see Michelle win the title of "The Biggest Loser" last week. She definitely deserved it!

Merry Christmas, and take the time to really ENJOY your holiday with your families. Just remember "everything in moderation". You CAN have a taste of your favorite foods, just don't over-indulge. And most of all; MAKE TIME to squeeze in a workout! (even if it's only walking around the block for 20 minutes, it's better than doing nothing!) :)

Biggest Loser Makeovers.....

I watched the show today...I wasn't blown away by any of it...kind of disappointed.
I liked the outfits the contestants chose for themselves, much more than what that designer guy picked. I wasn't blown away by any of the makeovers. None of them were just "jaw dropping". I was proud of Michelle and Renee. They both looked great! I was sad to see Renee go home, but she seems to be doing great, and I was proud of her for the way she represented our wonderful state of TX! :)
Vicky was a major disappointment and a frustration, as always. Her little "I can't trust myself" issues and supposedly waking up to the fact that she has to learn to trust herself again, had me thinking "Of course you can't trust yourself, because you know you are a backstabbing liar and know that no one else should ever trust you, so you CAN'T trust yourself. Your not Trustworthy!" I was just shaking my head....so totally frustrating. I honestly hope she is discovering what a horrible person she has been on this show and how horrible she has treated the others, and is having an eye opening experience..but after seeing previous episodes, I have a feeling it is just all "game play" to get the sympathy of her teammates. She is just so infuriating!

Ho-hum...

Thanksgiving was great, and I ate good at my grandma's...but then we spent the weekend with my husbands family and there was YUMMY food in front of me all weekend. Lets just say that his sister had made the MOST DELICIOUS Chocolate Pie ever (and I'm not even a chocolate freak, but it was SO GOOD!) Then his mother made fresh, home-made, from scratch rolls. They were so scrumptious! I couldn't help myself....and I haven't been eating bread, but i just couldn't pass those up...when will I get the chance to eat those melt in your mouth, buttery, yummy rolls again?! I know, I know...I didn't "need" it, but it sure was good!
Needless to say, I came home depressed...when I stepped on the scale the next morning, I was so disappointed with myself. I had gained a whopping 4 lbs over the weekend! YIKES! I was already up 1 lb the day we left (due to water retention...it was about my time of the month). So anyway, I now had 5 lbs to lose..just to get back to where I was.
I have been working my butt off this week (literally!). I'm now down 2 lbs...so I have at least 3 more to go. I would be happy to lose 7 though, instead of just 3. That would put me back at 120. I'm the most comfortable around 120. 117-122 is my "happy range" that I try to stay within.
Anyway...
Last night Stephen brought me home is Heart Rate Monitor. He hasn't been using it, and I thought it might help me to see how many calories I'm burning during my workouts (since my treadmill and elliptical give the calorie burn of the "average" sized person, and I know mine is less because of my size.) Anyway, I did the elliptical and did some weight training while watching Biggest Loser today. I worked out for 1 hour and 24 minutes and burned 768 calories!!! Woo-Hoo!!! I was very excited! This is becoming my new best friend. Or course it beeps at you if your heart rate gets below your "zone" or above your zone. It was beeping at me for the first minute or so...and then it was beeping at me for my heart rate being above 160 during the hardest parts (highest resistance) on the elliptical. But I pushed on through it, beeping and all...I was sweating up a storm and was soaked by the time I got off and grabbed the weights. It sure felt good, especially when I saw how many calories I burned! :) (Jen, now I see why you like your heart rate monitor so much!)

More Biggest Loser Talk....

I watched last weeks episode, yesterday. I did 90 minutes on the elliptical while watching. Let's just say, I had a lot of frustration to work out...apparently I'm not the only one who can't stand Vicky. Check out this article!
I can't say I was shocked or surprised by the outcome of that episode. Heba and Amy were below the yellow line, and even though Amy saved Vicky last week, Vicky took out her revenge on Amy for sending her husband home. Of course we could see that one coming! If she would have been smart she would have sent Heba home, because she has much more weight to lose, and is ultimately the biggest threat of the two. Oh well, hopefully it will come back to haunt her....
I just pray that Renee and Michelle will continue to lose the big numbers and stay above the line, while the blue team members have to vote themselves off. It serves the blue team right, for being so mean!
I can't wait for tonight's show...it is the big makeover show! I love this one!!!! It is always one of my favorite episodes. Yippy!!!! :)

Biggest Loser Talk.....

I finished watching BL a little bit ago. Did 92 minutes on my elliptical while watching. Whew. I'm pooped! I couldn't stop watching, and I didn't want to just sit while watching it, so I just kept moving...mostly so I could keep my frustrations at bay....LOL!

I must say, I was so proud of Colleen! When she tried on that top and it fit, and she was so happy...it was amazing. I was so happy for her. I love seeing that "ah-ha" moment. Where they actually see that they have changed, and then feel so great about themselves. It just reminds me that working out our bodies isn't just about "looking good" on the outside. It is mental also. When you are working out regularly, your actually "feel" happier on the inside. It must be the endorphins, or something. But I know if I don't workout regularly, I can get cranky and very irritable. So it's best for everyone if I take that 1 hour for myself each day. We're all happier! LOL!

Back to BL...when I was watching Jillian workout the black team, I was so proud of those girls for pushing past their own mental barriers and exhaustion. They didn't believe they could do it, but they DID! It just proves that you can have someone pushing you to workout harder, and even screaming at you not to give up..but ultimately, no one can make you do it. You are the who makes the choice to push through the exhaustion and the "i can't" attitude, or choose to give up.

I don't exactly agree with Amy's decision to send Coleen home, instead of Vicki. If I was her, I would have sent Vicki packing while I had the chance. But I think she was afraid to send Vicki home, for fear of what Bob would think or say. I don't think she made that choice for herself, at all...I was so disappointed. But I had a feeling that was going to happen. Can't say I was shocked.

As for Vicki...she is just an evil woman. It seems like the more weight she loses, the uglier her attitude gets. She appears to be so selfish, and snooty. Her "I've worked harder than anyone in this house" comments, had me ready to scream. I was thinking "you know, she is proof that it doesn't matter what size your body is, or how you look on the outside...if you attitude sucks (and is as horrible as hers), then you are going to be the ugliest person in the room! hand's down!"

Even with the frustrations certain people on this season's show may cause, I'm seriously going to be disappointed when it comes to an end. It is such a motivating show!!!!

Obsessed???

Why am I so obsessed with the bathroom scale???

I got a new scale (one that can track if your weight is up or down, and by how much). But I HATE it! It weighs me 2-3 lbs MORE than my old scale. Needless to say, I'm still hanging onto the old scale, just to prove to myself that when this new {EVIL} scale shows my weight to be higher than normal (even though my clothes fit, and I'm working out like crazy everyday), I can prove to myself (on the old scale) that my weight is still the same. Did you follow along with all that confusion?! LOL! I'm obsessed....I've been freaking out, because my weight was higher all the sudden. I couldn't figure out why, since I did 75 minutes on the elliptical Monday, and 35 on it yesterday, and have been watching my calories and carb intake (thinking maybe I was retaining water or something) but the weight was still not budging...so I put a new battery in my old scale, and VOILA! My weight was back to it's normal number (on the old scale). Why?! Why does a new scale have to do this me? Why is there a difference in my weight depending on which scale I'm on? I just can't stand this, and am ready to chunk them both out the window...who wants a scale that says you are 3 lbs more than your other scale says? Which one is actually correct? I don't know! Aren't these new digital things supposed to be more reliable then this?! LOL!

By the way, I didn't get to watch Biggest Loser last night...I recorded it, and am planning on doing the elliptical and lifting weights while I watch it...so don't tell me what happened! :) I'm sure I'll post my feeling about it, as soon as I watch it. I'll probably be furious about something, and needing to vent...since the evil Vicki and Heba are still on there....LOL!
Later!

Should you workout when you're sick?

In answer to Jen's question: Should you workout when you feel sick?
Here are my opinions on the subject (for what it's worth)




We may think that if we just continue our workouts, we can push through it and boost our immune system in the process. Unfortunately, this may make us even more sick. If you're feeling ill, exercise in moderation or not at all (depending on how sick you are).

If you just have a cold or don't feel 100% like yourself, workout anyway, in moderation of course. Usually you will feel better after the workout, and will be glad that you went ahead and pushed through it.
However, if you have a fever, extreme fatigue, trouble breathing, etc; don't workout, go see a doctor.

YOU are the only one who can say if your body feels up to a workout. If it does, great, go for it! If not,rest (or go see the doc) and drink plenty of fluids to flush out your system. Then as soon as you feel normal again, ease yourself back into your workouts.

This is a life-long process. If you miss a day because you are sick, that's OK. Just remember that tomorrow (when you feel better), you have to get your body moving again. Fitness isn't something we only do until we finally reach our "goal"...it is something that we commit to for the rest of our lives. To keep our bodies and minds, strong and healthy.

Fitness Blog

As you know, I love fitness. I totally transformed my body through diet and exercise, 10 years ago, and have kept the weight off ever since. It hasn't been easy. It is a daily choice and sometimes a struggle. So I decided to start my own fitness blog, where I can talk about my own personal goals, share my struggles, and of course talk about anything and everything fitness related.
I have another blog, but that is mostly for my family and friends to stay updated on the boys and our family life. This will be my own personal space, for me to share my fitness passion.
If you are into fitness, health, and nutrition, I invite you to follow along. :)